Author: Nicole Osinga, RD, MAN, BASc

I didn’t come up with the concept of Lego Lunches but here is my plant-based spin on this concept that has helped me add variety to my weekly meals along with saving money and reducing food waste.

Lego lunches really take the mundane out of meal prepping. Im okay with repeating meals throughout the week but if you’re not, this concept is for you. Basically you make components of the meals and freeze them in individual containers. You can then mix and match meal ingredients based on your preference. Once you are ready to eat, defrost in the microwave and add flavour enhancers like hummus, guacamole or additional herbs and spices.

If you want to meal prep like this, I recommend starting with 3-4 veggies, 2-3 proteins and  1-2 starches. Save this post to steal this meal prep strategy. Have you ever meal prepped liked this?

If you’re looking for a delicious breakfast/brunch for Christmas morning, look no further than these holiday-inspired protein pancakes! They all have 23 g of protein and 7 g of fibre, keeping you full for awhile. They’re also perfect to make ahead of time and simply heat up in the morning AND you can make a variety of flavour to suit your family’s taste preferences.

Tell me which one you’re trying first!

Tis the season to be…stressed out. As wonderful as the holidays are, I, like many others often feed excess stress and anxiety during this time as well. Anyone else relate?

Along with therapy and self care, nutrition can play a key role in helping to manage that stress and anxiety. I’ve put together this post and a meal plan which highlights how certain nutrients can play a role in assisting with managing stress and anxiety. Food is number one but if you are having trouble meeting certain nutrient targets, I’ve partnered with @Megafood to showcase which of their real food supplements can be used to help you meet those nutrient targets.

Meal Plan:

Below are the highlights of which key nutrients in this meal plan could play a role in managing stress and anxiety:

Omega 3: A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids helps keep cortisol and adrenaline from spiking when you’re feeling tense. The omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that may help counteract the negative effects of stress hormones.  Load up on flax seed, chia seeds and walnuts!

Magnesium: Magnesium assists in calming nerves and muscle relaxation. Magnesium is found in spinach, almonds, avocado, bananas, beans and seeds. I’ve also been turning to Megafoods Magnesium Triple Complex which is a highly absorbable 3-in-1 magnesium blend (bisglycinate, malate and citrate) formulated to assist with muscle function.

B Vitamins (B6, B12, Folate): We need B vitamins for healthy nerves and brain cells, and feelings of anxiety may be rooted in a B vitamin deficiency. For example folate helps the body create new cells and supports serotonin regulation. You can check out Megafoods Balanced B Complex which contains B vitamins from real food like kale and brown rice.
Food sources of B Vitamins: Green leafy veggies, avocado, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C can assist with lowering cortisol and boosting immunity. Each of these recipes are a significant source of vitamin C. Peppers, tomatoes, oranges, marinara sauce and pineapple are all vitamin c champions found in these recipes!

This lego lunch meal prep was a game changer last week, so I had to come back with another edition. Making and freezing each meal components separately in these silicone containers allowed us to mixing and match meals throughout the week, resulted in zero wasted meals and allowed my husband and I to build our meals according to our preferences. 

Once you are ready to eat, defrost in the microwave and add flavour enhancers like hummus, guacamole or additional herbs and spices.

If you want to meal prep like this, I recommend starting with 3-4 veggies, 2-3 proteins and  1-2 starches. Save this post to steal this meal prep strategy. Have you ever meal prepped liked this?

For this meal prep I made:

– Tofu & Black Bean Taco Bowls
– Soy Curl & Black Bean Taco Soup
– Orange Soy Curl Bowl
– Edamame & Veggie Rice Bowls

I used the following ingredients:

PROTEINS:

– Soy Curl & Black Bean Taco Soup
– Orange Soy Curls
– Edamame
– Tofu & Black Bean

VEGETABLES:

– Roasted Peppers
– Broccoli 
– Cabbage
– Zucchini

STARCHES:

– Roasted Sweet Potatoes Cubes
– Quinoa
– Jasmine Rice

The way I meal prep may have just changed for good when I discovered the concept of lego meals – which blew my mind. This is the perfect solution for families with different meal preferences or for those that like variety throughout the week but still want to meal plan. Also an amazing way to save money and reduce waste.

Basically you make components of the meals and freeze them in individual containers. You can then mix and match meal ingredients based on your preference. Once you are ready to eat, defrost in the microwave and add flavour enhancers like hummus, guacamole or additional herbs and spices.

If you want to meal prep like this, I recommend starting with 3-4 veggies, 2-3 proteins and  1-2 starches. Save this post to steal this meal prep strategy. Have you ever meal prepped liked this?

For this meal prep I made:
– Sweet potato chili bowls (one with rice and carrots, one with sweet potatoes and green beans)
– Teriyaki tofu bowls (teriyaki tofu with rice, peppers and broccoli)
– Lentil Bolognese pasta ( with peppers)

I used the following ingredients:

PROTEINS:
– Teriyaki Tofu
– Lentil Bolognese
– Bean Chili
– Protein Pasta

VEGETABLES:
– Roasted Peppers
– Green Beans
– Broccoli
– Carrots

STARCHES:
– Roasted Sweet Potatoes Cubes
– Jasmine Rice

Each of these pasta recipes have 25 g of protein and at least 13 g of fibre (~50% of your fibre needs!)
Which one are you trying first?